Category Archives: Clackmannanshire

Christmas birding and the year of the Snow Goose

Nothing like a couple of weeks off to plan to get out and see some wildlife after a busy few months with work. And I thought I would just share what I have been seeing over the Christmas and New Year break. Taking a walk from my house in Menstrie and I see the KestrelContinue reading “Christmas birding and the year of the Snow Goose”

Sheriffmuir in May

My favourite habitat at this time of year is the moorland in and around the Ochils. What seems mostly dead in winter suddenly comes alive with long-distant migrants arriving along with more local birds which expand their territories into all that available nesting ground. You can actually see a huge amount of wildlife just byContinue reading “Sheriffmuir in May”

The River Devon in February

So my “habitat-focus” for this month is the River Devon. At just over 30 miles in length this is a fairly short river starting in the Ochils above Menstrie and Alva and entering the Forth about 5 miles away as the crow flies at Cambus. River’s are a rich habitat that attract a different rangeContinue reading “The River Devon in February”

January in Menstrie Woods

Over the new year I thought it would be good to have a bit of a series on the blog and I am going to follow a habitat or two during the year. So we start with Menstrie Woods. Everything featured in this post was taken or recorded in January 2022. Come back next monthContinue reading “January in Menstrie Woods”

A walk around Gartmorn Dam

So my wife and I started the new year with a walk around Gartmorn Dam, a retired gravel pit nearby in Clackmannanshire. We walked clockwise from the carpark and, in between wishing all the anti-clockwise walkers a “Happy New Year”, we managed to get the birding year list off to a flying start. Of courseContinue reading “A walk around Gartmorn Dam”

A drive up Sheriffmuir

May and June are great months to take a drive up Sheriffmuir as you are straight into moorland/upland habitat where you see a different range of wildlife to the lowlands. As a bonus the car acts as a great portable wildlife hide. In spring and summer, lots of birds come here to breed. Local migrantsContinue reading “A drive up Sheriffmuir”